Our Trustees and Patrons

Our Trustees and Patrons


HRH Princess Beatrice

In March 2019 HRH Princess Beatrice joined our board of Trustees. Her Royal Highness is also Patron of a number of organisations and focuses the majority of her charitable work around children’s welfare and education, bringing a wealth of experience in these areas to Outward Bound.

David Hempleman-Adams

David was CEO of a chemical manufacturing business but his passion is exploration. He is globally recognised for his world records and innovations in mountaineering, polar exploration, aviation and sailing, and has supported many scientific expeditions in polar regions. David founded the Youth Adventure Trust in 1992 to enable disadvantaged young people to participate in expeditions, and Wicked Weather Watch in 2005 to educate schoolchildren about climate change. He is a retired trustee of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and of St John Ambulance.

Julia Abel

Julia is an experienced economic and social development professional with over 25 years in leadership roles within the voluntary sector and academia. Her experience includes CEO of an Economic Development Agency, working as an Academic for the Scottish Poverty Information Unit. Passionate about addressing inequalities through local sustainable action she believes that wherever you start from you should get a fair chance to enjoy a happy, healthy life free from poverty or disadvantage.

Helen Wright

Helen has been the Chief Financial Officer of Oxfam GB since February 2023. She trained at PwC and has worked on FTSE 100, private equity and owner-manager businesses and charities. In 2011 she became Director of Financial Governance at Save the Children International, before moving to Comic Relief in 2014 where she was Executive Director of Finance & Resources. Before joining Oxfam, she spent three years at Be the Business, a start-up with a mission to improve UK productivity. Helen has been a Trustee since June 2022.



Youlande Harrowell

Youlande is an experienced senior leader having led several successful Sixth Forms across London, the Midlands and the South Coast in areas of high deprivation. She is Co-Director of Mindful Equity UK CiC in which she consults on matters surrounding racial and gender equity within education from primary through to higher education. Youlande was appointed a Trustee of The Trust in 2021.

Nicholas Gair MBE

Nick is the author of the textbook Outdoor Education: Theory and Practice and has published many papers and articles in the educational press. He was previously Chief Executive of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland, and a Visiting Professor to the School of Sport and Education at Leeds Beckett University. Nick is a Chartered Geographer and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a Fellow of the College of Teachers. Appointed a Trustee in 2013, Nick is also Chairman of The Trust's Risk Management Committee.

Leo Houlding

Leo is the modern face of British Adventure and one of the world's top climbers. He’s a veteran of a score of epic ascents, including Everest. Leo pushes the limits of exploratory adventure by taking the ultimate in extreme sports to the most extreme environments. Leo has become an ambassador for the younger generation of climbers and has been called one of Britain's top ten adventurers by The Telegraph. He became a Trustee in 2017.


Guy Williams

Guy was appointed Managing Director Northern Europe for global business AkzoNobel in 2011. In 2013, he was given responsibility for the Global Sales Excellence function to enable AkzoNobel to strategically develop and drive a clear sales and category management strategy. Prior to joining AkzoNobel Guy held a number of roles across major retailers. Appointed a Trustee in 2014.

Nick Sanderson

Nick is Chief Financial and Operating Officer at Great Portland Estates plc, having joined the Board in 2011. He started his career as a Chartered Accountant with Arthur Andersen and then moved into Real Estate Investment Banking, working across Europe and Asia with UBS, Lehman Brothers, Nomura and Deloitte. He has been a Trustee since September 2021.

Paul Voller

Paul works with clients on a wide variety of corporate, commercial, constitutional and charity regulatory issues. He has traditionally practised in the fields of private companies, charities and commercial banking, however in recent years his work has become more focused on corporate and commercial work in the charity and not for profit sectors. A former Trustee of CCHF, Paul joined The Trust's Trustees in 2018 when CCHF made a deed of gift to The Trust and ceased to exist in its current form.